Music Mechanics/Music Theory  – “Oh, I get it!” Help for the “Ah Ha” challenged.  

Want to know how music works?  The Fiddle Jam Method explains it all in a no-nonsense, easy to apply way, not just on paper but with instrument in hand, so you will be left with “as little thinking as possible” and can retain maximum joy in your playing!

Suggested Studies:

Path 1 – the BASICS:

I’m going to steal this video from the Music Mechanics Pre-Quel Unit.  This is the stuff that we all must understand and accept as a simple foundation in music making.  You might want to get yourself a beverage of choice and pull up a chair.  This video is about 25 minutes long.  Then you can further check out the links below.

1. What is a beat?
2. Why doesn’t the music alphabet have H, I, J…?
3. Half & Whole steps
4. What is the note number system?
5. What good is knowing about chords if a violin can’t play chords?

Path 2 – more advanced:

1. The mighty “I – IV – V” progression & “growing” your ears
2. 7th Chords & Secret Musician’s handshakes
3. Modes
4. Diatonic “iii-vi-ii-V-I” progressions
5. 9-11-13 chord tones
6. diminished chords
7. Harmonic Minor
8. Jazz

As mentioned, I have also offered a 4-week intensive Music Mechanics 101 course in the past and have plans to re-release this soon!  Check the School Store for availability, or watch for announcements in the Fiddle Jam Club Newsletter.

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Here’s an auto generated list of every Music Mechanics FJi post for further study too!

• Don’t beat up your improvising!
• Jamming Level 1B amendment
• Standard Pitch – Does it REALLY Matter?
• Double Stop Tutorial – iFiddle Magazine Column
• iFiddle Mag Sit-In Situation Column
• Swamp Fiddle for iFiddle Magazine
• Moonlight Drive Jam Track
• iFiddle Mag Chord Basics Lesson
• Cool Grapelli ii-V Trick
• Ear Training Foundations
• Experience Path – Three Cajun-Zydeco Tunes
• Modern Bluegrass Player Path
• MM101-A417 – Is Standard Pitch Correct?
• MM101-Chromatic exercises and lines
• MM101-Why Major Scales are “MAJOR”
• Circle of Fifths explained
• Circle of Fifths Loop Track
• Taking it Outside in Jazz
• iFiddle 2 – Scales, Arpeggios & Practice
• Music Mechanics – Learning Path
• Gigger Level Learning Path
• V7b9 Chord Substitution
• Modes lessons updated for AAP members
• Relative major of minor pentatonic
• Blues Scale Anatomy
• Music Mechanics 101 Course Homework Student Blog
• Chromatic exercises and lines
• My Path Suggested Learning Studies
• FJi Courses
• FJi Music Mechanics 101 Course
• All Major Pentatonic Approach
• Major to Blues scale conversion – Cool EZ fingering trick!
• Rhythm Changes – the standard of Jazz
• Fake Books – what are they?
• Tennessee Waltz – classic hit from 1950
• No Exit Strategy – Conflation CD Lesson
• Second Octave Intervals – 9ths, 11ths &13ths
• Cheater’s instant back-up tater-ing – how to
• Fiddle Jam – preparation – what you’ll need to know
• Harmonica Tricks for Violin – thinking in a different key
• Non-Readers Info Page
• Reading standard “staff” notation
• Rhythm Reading
• Autumn Leaves – Jazz Standard
• Music Mechanics Lesson List
• Red Haired Boy
• The Joy of Awareness – G.F. Perry tune
• Modes
• Weeblo’s Wooble jazz tune
• Juke Gypsy – G.F. Perry tune
• Tri-Tone Substitutions
• Bone Bossa by G. F. Perry
• It’s Time to Go jazz tune by G. F. Perry
• Boozoo – traditional cajun/zydeco tune
• THE lick?
• Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
• Half & whole steps – explained & put to use
• Arpeggio Training
• Moods of the Modes
• Tatering Level 2 – – adding double “drone” strings
• Tatering level 3 – chord tone double stops
• Tatering level 1 – play the name of each chord
• Tater Section
• Musical Priest – Irish/Celtic tune
• Riff Master Pro software discount for FJI members!
• iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – I Progression Studies
• III7-VI7-II7-V7-I Exercises
• Slur Exercises – Essential Elements Book 1 Pg. 29
• Mr. Sandman
• My Blue Heaven
• Hungaria
• Limehouse Blues
• Stompin’ at Decca
• Melodie Au Crepuscule
• I’ll See You In My Dreams
• Babik
• Bossa Dorado
• Django’s Castle
• Daphne
• Douce Ambiance
• Noto Swing
• Swing De Paris
• Bellville
• Sheik of Araby
• Swing Gitan
• Coquette
• Micro
• Undecided
• Nuages – famed Django ballad
• All of Me
• Cello & Viola – fingering conversion charts
• LeLuppe Bonzino – Gypsy Tune
• Sweet Sustenance – Gypsy Tune
• Fully Diminished 7th Studies
• A417 – Is Standard Pitch Correct?
• Fiddler’s Tab
• Octave Science
• What is a Beat?
• It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it ain’t got that swing)
• Beethoven Minuet in G
• I – IV – V Chord Number System
• Why Major Scales are “MAJOR”
• Note Number System
• Shave Endings
• Acadian Two-Step
• EZ-Chord Speller System
• Wit & Wisdom “MARY and the RHYTHM KINGS”
• Blackberry Blossom
• Music Mechanics & Theory
• Loop Tracks
• Clinch Mountain Back-Step
• That Fiddle Sound
• Gigger Level